Waraku
Japantown
When chef-owner Eiichi Mochizuki of Shabuway took over the former Bushi-Tei space, he inherited its wood beams imported from a 19th century home in Japan. Though the space is still exceptional, the menu is now more casual: Ramen, with shoyu broth or tonkotsu broth, is above average. Gyoza arrives with a thin layer of crispy dough clinging to the pan. And the deal gets sweeter: Most starters, like sashimi, kalbi, and karaage, are under $10, and Sapporo is on tap. 1638 Post St. (near Laguna St.), 415-292-3388 C.A.

Parallel 37
Nob Hill
Last year, Ron Siegel, Parallel 37’s chef of eight years, left to take over the kitchen of Michael Mina. Now, Michael Rotondo, from the former Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, is at the helm. Herb tendrils and studied spatterings of sauce demonstrate a fine-dining artfulness. A love of Asian flavors comes through in crab piled over Thai basil linguine and in a fried and deboned chicken foot, which arrives like an ossified exotic flower within fluffy steamed bao. The sommeliers may try out beer pairings with mixed effect, but the cocktails are a solid bet. 600 Stockton St. (at California St.), 415-773-6168 C.A.

Padrecito
Cole Valley
The owners of Mamacita have taken over the former Eos. Can they bring "cool" to Cole Valley? The bar shakes up tasty cocktails (try the Gaucho, with rye, sparkling apple, maple syrup, and lemon), while the restaurant serves Mexican. The molotes de picadillo— little torpedoes of fried masa stuffed with ground beef—are addictive. Tacos come in eight flavors, including grilled fish with mango salsa and goat barbacoa topped with kale sprouts (after all, this is San Francisco). 901 Cole St. (at Carl St.), 415-742-5505 S.D.